North Carolina fans light up Gene Chizik after another defensive collapse
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North Carolina fans are furious with defensive coordinator Gene Chizik after his unit collapsed again in the 4th quarter on Saturday night vs. Duke.
The Tar Heels ended up winning the game 47-45 in double overtime thanks to a couple of big plays down the stretch. But it was UNC’s defense that put the Tar Heels in that position to begin with.
Carolina allowed Duke to gain 209 yards and score 22 points in the 4th quarter alone. Given that Duke is playing with its third-string quarterback in his second career start, that’s a huge disappointment for the Tar Heels’ defense.
To put UNC’s 4th-quarter performance into perspective, Duke defeated Wake Forest last week and its offense gained just 267 yards in the entire game. Against Louisville the week before, they managed only 202 yards. Duke finished with 379 yards this week against the Tar Heels. It’s the first time Duke has totaled more than 300 yards in a single contest since Oct. 14.
Much of the criticism of Chizik is centered around Duke’s go-ahead touchdown drive in the final minute of regulation. Facing a 4th and 7, Chizik called for an aggressive blitz that immediately back-fired. Grayson Loftis found Jordan Moore for an easy 30-yard touchdown with 41 seconds remaining.
If not for a game-tying field goal at the end of regulation, this would have been Carolina’s first loss in this series since 2018. Mack Brown still hasn’t lost to Duke since falling to Steve Spurrier and the Blue Devils in 1989.
Chizik is in his second season as Carolina’s defensive coordinator. This performance comes on the heels of back-to-back losses to ACC opponents in Virginia and Georgia Tech.
Here’s some of the reaction from fans and media criticizing Chizik despite the win:
Fire Gene Chizik into the sun.
— Zack Pearson (@Zack_Pearson) November 12, 2023
A win is a win but holy shit it’s hard to feel good after that one. Thank you Drake Maye and Omarion Hampton. Fire Mack Brown. Fire Gene Chizik. Fire Chip Lindsey.
— david (@DavidCandelori) November 12, 2023
https://twitter.com/michaelwhitfiel/status/1723557114063282483
mack, i’m begging you to take gene chizik’s keys before leaving the stadium
— Garrett Wease (@garrettwease) November 12, 2023
FIRE GENE CHIZIK @UNCFootball
— BigDaddyBert (@BigDaddyBert32) November 12, 2023
FIRE GENE CHIZIK IMMEDIATELY
— Big Papa Shon (@royal_flush2482) November 12, 2023
Idk how Gene Chizik still has a job. But, #goheels
— Joey Alma (@joeyalma93) November 12, 2023
Man oh man oh man. This #UNC defense is once again getting gashed by a backup quarterback.
I feel like I’ve seen this movie before…
— Jacob Turner (@JacobTurnerTHI) November 12, 2023
On to Clemson, Gene Chizik….get your ish together!!!!! ??? Defense has been terrible the last 3 ACC games…. https://t.co/MHNro6ItEE
— Barron Taylor (Coach BT/PuntFactoryAU) (@DMV_CALI_LBGkid) November 12, 2023
LMAOOOO YOU SEND A BLITZ ON 4th & 7 LMAOOOO DAWG WTF
— ⚡️T-Time ⚡️ (@Ayo_TTime9) November 12, 2023
https://twitter.com/tarheelswire/status/1723557002402484570
The UNC DC needs to be fired into the sun for that
— Moon Unit Zappos (@FlapJackNorton) November 12, 2023
POV Gene Chizik on 4th and 7 with an obvious pass play coming pic.twitter.com/EtS0i7jj0V
— Satisfied UNC fan (@heelscentral) November 12, 2023
The Gene Chizik Advantage
— Alex Kirshner (@alex_kirshner) November 12, 2023
Gene Chizik's defense is a disaster. Hard to imagine he's back for Year 3 in 2024.
— Greg Barnes (@GSBarnes23) November 12, 2023
Spenser is a news editor for Saturday Down South and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.
